Jessica

Jessica was born with a life-limiting neurological disorder that affected her mental and movement abilities.

Her parents, Vicky and Keith, were told by doctors that she might not live past her toddler years and so they devoted themselves to providing her with the highest quality of life and making sure Jessica had the chance to live her life to the full.

Support from Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service helped Jessica and her family help in making the most of the time they had together, making happy and precious memories that they would always treasure.

Jessica’s mum, Vicky, reflected on the joy and independence Alexander Devine gave her daughter during her visits to the hospice.

“Respite visits to Alexander Devine gave Jessica an opportunity to be independent and have fun in a safe and caring environment.

She was able to spend quality time with other children, doing crafts, baking and music therapy. The hydro pool is amazing and as a family we loved spending time together in the pool with dedicated nurses on hand to offer support as required.”

Jessica was eight years old when she sadly passed away. Her family continues to be supported by the hospice, especially her younger brother James who loves spending time with other siblings who understand what he is going through.

“Losing Jessica has left a huge void in our lives and all we have now are the treasured memories of time we spent together as a family. Some of our most special memories are of our time at Alexander Devine Hospice, swimming, walking in the sensory garden and having picnics in the play park. 

James, Jessica’s little brother, is now supported by the hospice through their Sibling Club, an engaging and nurturing space for him to enjoy a huge range of fun activities with other children who have poorly or deceased siblings. This is a safe place where he can talk about Jessica with other children and adults who understand what he is going through.”

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Please help us be there

The specialist care and support we provide to families like Jessica’s is free of charge but it currently costs our charity over £2.8million each year just to maintain our current level of care.

Our charity receives minimal statutory funding and is nearly entirely reliant on donations, fundraising and gifts in Wills to fund our vital service. In fact, 50 minutes of every hour of specialist care and support we provide to each child and their family is funded by the kindness and generosity of our supporters.

Help us continue to be there for families like these and reach out to even more that need us: www.alexanderdevine.org/give